"5 COOL THINGS" - weekly emails

5 Cool Things 😎This week's items of interest

5 Cool Things:
03/21/19Hi, this is Greg Powell. I hope you'll enjoy one or more of these interesting topics from the world of business and beyond. Dan Powell, my son and collaborator, has researched the articles and written the summaries, so this is not a boilerplate message. We'd like to give you a weekly break to learn about something cool or, better yet, 5 Cool Things.

Beginning today, Greg will be writing an article every other week to include in the mix.

The Work Hierarchy and Human Rights (Greg Powell)

There’s a hierarchy in the workplace – otherwise known as the corporate ladder – that’s necessary for running a complex organization. At the same time, there are human rights in the workplace that should apply to everyone, regardless of their position on the hierarchy. That’s clear, right? Well, not always… In this article, Greg explores how the corporate ladder can wobble when human rights are ignored, misunderstood, or asserted inappropriately, and what that means for your organization. Read more…

The Anatomy of Charisma (Nautilus)

Why do some people possess the magnetic attraction known as charisma, while others don’t? And what does it mean for the world when we give more weight to the views of these people than to our own? According to research, people tend to automatically suppress emotions in the presence of charisma, which leads to cognitive impairments, or even a form of hypnosis. “…you believe whatever is going on is correct…so you don’t invest too many resources in being skeptical and checking,” Read more…

The World’s Recycling is in Chaos. Here’s What Has to Happen (Wired)

For decades, American cities and towns could cheaply ship off their recyclable waste to Chinese processing plants. That all changed a year ago when the government of China announced that it would no longer accept most plastics and other materials, leading to a 99 percent decrease in plastic imports. As a result, many communities are simply incinerating or disposing of recyclables in landfills, creating a vast, worldwide crisis with few cost-effective solutions. Read more…

My New Plan to Climate-Proof Lower Manhattan (New York Magazine)

“It will be one of the most complex environmental and engineering challenges our city has ever undertaken and it will, literally, alter the shape of the island of Manhattan.” In this op-ed, seemingly taken from a Michael Bay movie, New York City mayor Bill DeBlasio lays out his vision for an enormous earthen sea barrier that will extend the shoreline of Lower Manhattan by up to 500 feet. The wall is necessary, experts say, due to the risk of massive flooding due to climate change and related storms. It’s a fascinating real-life proposal by the mayor of America’s most populated city. “We’re going to build it, because we have no choice.” Read more…

People Who Walk on the Escalator Actually Slow Everyone Down (Quartz)

The average citizen is likely conscious of escalator etiquette: standers to the right side, walkers on the left. This unwritten social arrangement guarantees maximum efficiency when using the escalator - or does it? London city planners, experimenting with a system that discouraged walking up the escalator in favor of a “standing only” protocol, saw a 27% increase in capacity per hour. As it turns out, leaving an entire lane for walkers is less efficient than having two lanes for people standing - but maybe don’t try to explain that to somebody late to work! Read more…